AUGUST 8
scripture reading: Psalm 85

Revive Us Again

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down! (Isaiah 64:1)

Stephen Olford defines revival as “the sovereign act of God, in which he restores his own backsliding people to repentance, faith and obedience.” This definition raises an important question. If revival is in fact “a sovereign act of God,” then what can we do (if anything) to facilitate its occurrence? Would it not be sheer impertinence to think that we humans could do anything to move the hand of God in reviving power? Should we not passively watch and pray until God sees fit to send revival based solely upon the mysterious and inscrutable counsels of his own divine providence? While scholars may debate the theology of revival, practitioners such as G. Campbell Morgan lead us to much safer ground when they respond to the question this way: “We cannot organize revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to blow upon his people once again.”

Though it would be unwise to seek a formula for revival in the Bible, we must admit that II Chronicles 7:14 gives a rather classic recipe for the ingredients necessary for its occurrence. Here, God tells us precisely what we need to do to “set our sails to catch the wind of heaven.” The verse is structured in a classic cause- and-effect manner. If we do this . . . then God will do this. When it comes to seeing God move in healing power across the land, apparently God wants us to have no illusions about how it works.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

The four conditions God calls his people to meet:

1. Humble ourselves. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. God often waits for us to descend from our little thrones before he will ascend to his big one!

2. Pray. Asking is the law of the Kingdom. So ask God to move, heal, forgive, restore, sanctify, call, send. You do not have because you do not ask.

3. Seek His face. How often we seek God’s hand rather than his face. Revival comes when we begin to want him more than his gifts.

4. Turn from sin. Until we cease to justify and to rationalize our sins; until we stop blaming them on others, we will never see God move in power. Don’t just feel bad about your sins, confess them and repent.

God gives a glorious three-fold promise to all who meet these four conditions. There is no fine print or hidden clauses. He simply promises that when we do what he asks us to do, he will hear our prayers, he will forgive our sins, and he will heal our land. Frankly, it would be difficult to find a cause-and-effect relationship stated anywhere in the Bible more clearly and precisely than that!

Sounds like a recipe to revive the church and reform the nation. Let’s get to work.

Revive us again; fill each heart with thy love; may each soul be rekindled with fire from above. Hallelujah! Thine the glory; Hallelujah! Amen. Hallellujah! Thine the glory, revive us again.
—William P. Mackay

point to ponder • Perhaps the reason our nation is not experiencing revival is simply because God’s people have not prayed for a revival.

prayer focus • Revival in your church.